Merry Christmas
by Nonnie88
Summary: Just a little Christmas fluff - Set around Christmas 2000.
1. Chapter 1

**I WROTE FLUFF... FOR CHRISTMAS...**

**I'll figure the chapters I have started for 'Interrupting' eventually!**

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_**Christmas Eve 2000**_

Elizabeth had checked on the children - one more time, just to be sure - before heading up into the attic for the presents. It was still Christmas Eve, but just barely with it being 11.30pm. It had been a late night with 6 year old Stephanie getting the idea that she needed to stay awake to catch a glimpse of Santa, and with every movement she made, her almost 2 year old sister, Alison wanted to follow. It had been a long night but they were finally asleep.

Piling the presents together and picking them up as carefully and as best she could, Elizabeth carried them downstairs into the living area, where Henry had gathered a similar pile from the presents 'he' had hidden in the corner of the basement. Henry looked up as she approached and swiftly moved to her side to take the gifts from her. "You should have told me where you had them hidden, I would have gotten them for you," he scolded lightly.

Elizabeth stood with her hands on her hips, automatically moving a hand around the curve of her swollen belly, and gave him a grin. "It's like you think I'm pregnant or something," she teased.

Henry growled softly at her and she bit back a laugh as he placed the presents down and bent down to the floor to start organising.

"And I couldn't tell you where they are anyway…" She said as she made her way to the sofa, sitting and making herself comfortable, "... Cause then you would know where I hid the Christmas presents, and you give a good game Dr McCord with your 'I'm not bothered what I get for Christmas as long as I have you spiel', but I know you, and you are NOT getting to yours that easily." Elizabeth snorted at him as he rolled his eyes at her.

Once the presents were arranged to Henry's preference, with a little input from Elizabeth here and there, he stood and moved to the kitchen. "I can hear clinking," Elizabeth called with a smile on her lips. Henry poked his head out the doorway, "If I can't have none…" she winked and pointed down, letting on to the promise he had made when they found out they were expecting their third bundle of joy, 'no alcohol'.

Henry muttered incoherently and moved back into the kitchen, the bottles clicking again as he returned them. He was gone for a few minutes and came back through with two steaming mugs of hot chocolate, one with whipped cream on the top with chocolate shavings and marshmallows.

"This'll do nicely." Elizabeth said gleefully as she took her mug from him and dove straight into the warm liquid, her tongue flicking out to lick at the whipped cream and chocolate on the top of the mug.

Henry sat down next to her and watched as she chewed on a tongue-full of marshmallows before taking a sip of his own, plain hot chocolate and grimacing, he was never one for the sweet drink, but he would do anything to keep his wife happy.

Elizabeth snorted again as she watched him back, "Only a few more months babe, and then your free to drown your sorrows."

He took another sip, then put the mug on the table and he turned to watch her some more. "I could watch you devour that all night," he whispered as his fingers moved to the back of her neck, playing with the wispy parts of her hair that had broken free from her ponytail.

Elizabeth giggled and turned to look at him, passing him her mug so he could place it on the table for her, "And normally, I would let you, but right now I think we should go to bed," she scooted closer to him and rested her head upon his shoulder.

"Worried how early the girls are going to be up in the morning?" Henry questioned.

"Hmmm…" Elizabeth passed a hand over the swell of her belly, "...Or this one, now I'm feeling movement it seems like they never stop."

Henry chuckled softly, "You think the girls will like their present?"

"Which one?"

"The main one?" Henry pointed his thumb over his shoulder towards the kitchen to a fluffy dog bed, bowls, food and dog leash that had been placed under the counter near the back door with a big bow sat on the top of the bag of dog food.

"I think they are going to love her. I know I already do and she's not even here yet, I'm still in disbelief that they offered to drive her out on Christmas morning. And I'm still thinking that we are mad for taking on a dog while I'm pregnant and Ali is a toddler."

Henry laughed and got himself up from the sofa, turning and helping his wife up from her spot he placed a peck on her lips and nudged her towards the stairs as he did the last check of the house and followed her up.

By the time Henry had made it to the bedroom, Elizabeth had gotten herself comfortable on her side of the bed and was fiddling with a little present in her hands.

"It's past midnight." She whispered, not sure why she was whispering at all.

"So it is," Henry acknowledged as he looked to the clock and made his way to his side of the bed and stripped himself down to his boxers and climbed in next to her.

Elizabeth moved closer to him, her body moulding itself against his side as his arm came around her shoulders, pulling her in.

"Merry Christmas Henry." Elizabeth mumbled as she handed him the small present.

He cocked an eyebrow at her and she waved it off, "Open it."

Henry pulled the ribbon from around the box, and lifted the lid, pulling out a small pair of blue booties. "What…? When…?" His eyes widened… "Really."

Elizabeth nodded emphatically, reaching over and into her bedside table, grabbing a piece of paper with an ultrasound picture attached to it. "Surprise." She snuggled back into him again and pointed out to the picture her doctor had printed out for her and the small circled area that clearly showed that it needed to.

He studied it, then looked back at her. "A boy…" he said breathlessly.

Elizabeth's grin grew to enormous proportions. "A boy…" she responded.

Henry laughed and pulled Elizabeth closer to him, his hand coming round and pulling her face towards his so he could see her, " A boy, Elizabeth," he breathed as he drew her in for a kiss. "God, I love you." He kissed her again and again. "Merry Christmas, Elizabeth"

Elizabeth smiled warmly, unable to contain the complete feelings of joy that emanated between them at that moment. "Merry Christmas, Henry."

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_**CHEEEEEEESY - RIGHT!  
And yes - I alluded to 'Lady'... I felt it was needed!**_

_**HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS!**_


	2. Chapter 2

**I couldn't get this out my head!**

**Here is some more really cheesy fluff.**

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Elizabeth stood at the window, her body framed by the soft moonlight glowing outside. Snow was falling again, starting to blanket the already covered the houses and surrounding gardens in more white, the fairy lights that had been placed in their garden that afternoon were twinkling brightly. Henry paused on the bottom step watching his wife.

Henry watched as Elizabeth absent-mindedly rubbed the back of her legs, a sure sign that she had been standing watching for too long, just staring at the snow falling, the lights twinkling. Henry continued forward, coming to a stop behind Elizabeth, wrapping his arms around her waist, his hands settling on her swollen belly, his chin resting on her shoulder. Henry felt her lean back into him, so he gently tightened his embrace.

"Are the girls asleep?" Elizabeth inquired quietly. Henry hummed his assent and watched the snow flutter to the ground. "I still can't figure out why Stevie was so upset for most of the day," Elizabeth mused to herself. "Well, I mean, I can. We knew it wasn't going to be easy for her; she was already upset when we told her we were having Ali, and then we dropped this bombshell," Elizabeth rests her hands on top of her husbands, "That we are going to have another baby," She paused. "But even now she's still down a little and I really got the impression she didn't even care about her presents until Lady arrived." She stopped again. "I'm being silly aren't I?"

"You're being a mother," Henry reassured her softly. "Worrying is a prerequisite."

"Thank you for making today so special, even if it was fraught with a sad six, a hyper two year old and a hormonal wife," Elizabeth turned her head slightly to press a kiss on the light stubble on his cheek before turning back to look out the window again.

"You're welcome," he responded, nuzzling his face into her neck.

"But you'll be cleaning all the messes that damn puppy makes," Elizabeth added.

Henry grinned and shrugged. "Every kid deserves to have a puppy at some point," he explained, turning Elizabeth around to face him. "I haven't thanked you for my present yet," he whispered, brushing his finger over her face.

"Well you really haven't had time to thank me with Stevie and Ali chasing Lady all over the place and vice versa." Elizabeth grinned and looked up and met his hazel eyes. What she saw had her leaning forward and fiercely kissing him. Henry smiled into the kiss and pulled away.

He reached up and framed her face with his hands, his expression intense. Elizabeth only looked at him with confusion, bringing her hands up to wrap around his wrists and rubbing comfort into them. Henry brushed his thumbs over her cheeks, amused when a slight blush began to creep upon them. "Walk with me," Henry whispered, pulling Elizabeth away from the window, through the living room and straight to the kitchen door, opening it wide he pulled her out into the snow in the backyard.

Neither had a jacket on; neither cared.

The snow gently fell, dusting their hair and shoulders. The two of them walked hand in hand down the garden path, their steps easily matching. They took in the transformation before them. The fairy lights attached to sticks they had stuck in the ground, the little snowman family that Stevie and Henry had made that afternoon while Elizabeth and Ali took a nap. The soft tinkling of merry voices coming from the neighbour's garden. They didn't talk; there was no need to. Their puffed breaths hovered in the air and their hips bumped companionably together as they moved.

_Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?_

_In the lane, snow is glistening._

The sudden blast of Walking in a Winter Wonderland that had started playing from over the fence as they sat themselves down on the wooden bench just across from the snowman family had them smiling at one another.

"I love this song," Elizabeth whispered as she laid her head on her husband's shoulder, taking in the scene in front of her.

Unknown to them, little Stevie stood watching the snow fall from her second story bedroom window and smiled when she saw her parents; stop, sit down and simply hold each other in the winter wonderland that had been created in her backyard as the snow continued to fall gently. "Thank you, Santa," Stevie whispered to the window pane, "I got exactly what I wanted for Christmas." She jumped down from the window and climbed back into bed, petting Lady's head as she did so. She may have been upset about having to spend even less time with her mother and father, but secretly she was really hoping for a little brother this time.

Stevie lay down, and hummed the faint Christmas melody that penetrated up the stairs as she heard her parents coming back in from outside. She would have Lady to keep her company when the new baby came.

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**SEE... CHEESE... FLUFF...**

**Leave a review - **

**Would anyone like to see a second chapter of New Year at Midnight from Henry's POV? I'm currently thinking about it but not sure...**


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